How would someone know if a toddler is mentally retarded, anyway?My son knows what things are for. For example he knows what to do with the soap in the tub, knows what things like spoons and forks are for. He likes putting deodorant on his father and I and even himself.I have to put up my makeup or else he will try and put it on. Especially the lipstick. He knows how to brush his hair and teeth ( but he doesn't do a very good job ).

When he wants something he sometimes points for it, but usually he will get it himself. He will push a chair his kiddy table and climb it and get it.

If he wants the light on or off he will also use something to climb to reach the switch. He can turn the floor fan on or off to his liking.

When he was younger and I put him to bed, if he wasn't ready or wanted me to stay he would throw his blankets or bottle out because he knew I would have to come and put them back in. He doesn't do this because he can come and get me when he needs something although if he feels like we aren't paying enough attention to him he will put himself between the wall and bed and get stuck so we have to pick him up.

Also just now he took and empty cup and ''drank'' from it then put it up to my mouth and said ''mmmmmm''.

As I'm not an expert I can't say for certain, but significant mental abnormalities are often picked up in the womb, or immediately after birth. I think it's pretty rare for a really severe handicap to go unnoticed until three, and if he were severely handicapped I guarantee you'd know - like, really know, that something was wrong. There'd be little room for doubt. Everything you've described sounds 'average three-year-old' to me. Hope you're feeling much calmer, hypowoman90 - enjoy your easter weekend. :)

How would someone know if a toddler is mentally retarded, anyway?My son knows what things are for. For example he knows what to do with the soap in the tub, knows what things like spoons and forks are for. He likes putting deodorant on his father and I and even himself.I have to put up my makeup or else he will try and put it on. Especially the lipstick. He knows how to brush his hair and teeth ( but he doesn't do a very good job ).

When he wants something he sometimes points for it, but usually he will get it himself. He will push a chair his kiddy table and climb it and get it.

If he wants the light on or off he will also use something to climb to reach the switch. He can turn the floor fan on or off to his liking.

When he was younger and I put him to bed, if he wasn't ready or wanted me to stay he would throw his blankets or bottle out because he knew I would have to come and put them back in. He doesn't do this because he can come and get me when he needs something although if he feels like we aren't paying enough attention to him he will put himself between the wall and bed and get stuck so we have to pick him up.

Also just now he took and empty cup and ''drank'' from it then put it up to my mouth and said ''mmmmmm''.

As I'm not an expert I can't say for certain, but significant mental abnormalities are often picked up in the womb, or immediately after birth. I think it's pretty rare for a really severe handicap to go unnoticed until three, and if he were severely handicapped I guarantee you'd know - like, really know, that something was wrong. There'd be little room for doubt. Everything you've described sounds 'average three-year-old' to me. Hope you're feeling much calmer, hypowoman90 - enjoy your easter weekend. :)

You're right berry. I need torelax but i can't... He did have a lot more symptoms before. Like not pointing or waving but he grew out of it (you don't grow out of symptoms, right? Ahaha, kill me). I don't know if i can hang on for another week.

I've heard some autistic kids will interact with their parents. His vocab has improved greatly just in the past few days. Car, bottle, tree, and few others. He is also more willing to repeat words and he is also picking up understanding of words more quickly. Before I would have to repeat it to him 5 or 6 times and today I was testing him out and he learned it after repeating it to him once or twice.I help up a rock and said ''rock'' and then told him ''give men the rock'' and he complied.

I HAVE been putting forth more effort. Making sure to point out and narrate EVERYTHING. This gave me a little hope. This is a huge improvement in a few days...

But now I am worried about regression... Although I hear that usually happens before 3? He is 3 years and 6 months.

I've heard some autistic kids will interact with their parents. His vocab has improved greatly just in the past few days. Car, bottle, tree, and few others. He is also more willing to repeat words and he is also picking up understanding of words more quickly. Before I would have to repeat it to him 5 or 6 times and today I was testing him out and he learned it after repeating it to him once or twice.I help up a rock and said ''rock'' and then told him ''give men the rock'' and he complied.

I HAVE been putting forth more effort. Making sure to point out and narrate EVERYTHING. This gave me a little hope. This is a huge improvement in a few days...

But now I am worried about regression... Although I hear that usually happens before 3? He is 3 years and 6 months.

Awesome! :) I'm glad to hear there's been improvements. Pointing out and narrating is the best way to help with language acquisition. He will be babbling away in no time.

I have read this topic from time to time as it's gotten longer and I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I'll use my niece as an example - she's 8 years old. In terms of listening, she almost NEVER listens...which can get on our nerves quite a bit. I agree with Brick on this one too, kids sometimes just don't listen, my niece being a perfect example. She doesn't have autism, or any other mental disability, she just doesn't listen and she knows it irks us to no end.

Also, as someone here has mentioned, mental abnormalities can be picked up in the womb before the baby is born - was that mentioned at all when you were pregnant? I honestly think your son is just a normal child growing up. Maybe he just needs a little more time to develop that's all. I'm sure he will be just fine, just keep us posted about how he's doing.

I have read this topic from time to time as it's gotten longer and I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents. I'll use my niece as an example - she's 8 years old. In terms of listening, she almost NEVER listens...which can get on our nerves quite a bit. I agree with Brick on this one too, kids sometimes just don't listen, my niece being a perfect example. She doesn't have autism, or any other mental disability, she just doesn't listen and she knows it irks us to no end.

Also, as someone here has mentioned, mental abnormalities can be picked up in the womb before the baby is born - was that mentioned at all when you were pregnant? I honestly think your son is just a normal child growing up. Maybe he just needs a little more time to develop that's all. I'm sure he will be just fine, just keep us posted about how he's doing.

No. They never mentioned anything like that when I was pregnant. Everything besides his speech developed normally, although he was a little late to point, he points now. Everything else is normal besides his language although I have seen a great improvement in his receptive (understanding what people say ) in this week alone.

Ok, I am starting to wonder again if he has some type of undetected hearing loss.He is sick today. I am having to talk very loudly to him for him to listen and scream to get him to come from another room. I am wondering if he is getting fluid trapped in his ears.

It is making me think of something that happened last june. He had been sick but after the cold started clearing up I noticed he was unusually clumsy. Tripping, falling over. It went away. I know fluid trapped in ears can cause balancing problems....

He also sleeps with a bottle ( which I know is bad ). I heard that can cause glue ear as well.

This thread is a little mind easing for me. My son will be 3 in June and doesn't talk. He has said Mom and Dad but not all that often. If I call his name I would say 97% of the time he at least looks to see if he is interested in why I'm calling him.He plays well with his sister who DOES NOT know what quite is. She'll be 5.He puts those wooden puzzles together quickly and loves playing his sisters Nabi.My fears were very much like yours. I'm making him an appointment to review te situation. He has been covering his ears so I am wondering if there is an issue there that is causing the delay.